Tiny Forest Pond House Offers Peace and Tranquility in a Tucked-Away Corner of Hampshire

The quality of a space has as much to do with the structure itself as its location, and this is certainly true of the tucked-away Forest Pond House in Hampshire, UK. Designed with love by TDO Architecture, the tiny shelter at the corner of a private garden is used as both a play space for children and a meditation hut for more enlightened grownups.

TDO Architecture says in their design brief that they used contrasting qualities to create a special ambience. The darker portions of the very small house constructed of timber, glass and copper “address” the forest, while the lighter aspects address a little garden pond. In this way, the structure not only fits in to the surroundings, but also enhances them.

There’s something so magical about this joyful hideout, where “the dark elevations serve as blackboards for drawing in the woods,” TDO writes, and “a rising floor shrinks one corner down to the size of a child.” There is only one source of light, so the environmental impact is negligible, and it creates a reflection in the water that allows for quiet contemplation.